CHINATOWN ☯︎ Charles Leclerc

⚡︎ C.02 ⚡︎

⚡︎

New York City, United States
October 15th, 2024

"Fuck" Giovanna whispered and closed her eyes right, wishing that it wasn't real.

"Mamma, are you okay?" Arthur pulled Giovanna's arm.

Charles' gaze immediately went down to the five-year-old boy who stood beside Giovanna. His face was priceless to say the least. It was a mix between shock, adoration and pure confusion. Arthur looked back at Charles.

"Mamma, that's Charles Leclerc. The F1 driver" Arthur said.

"It is, baby" Giovanna said and picked him up, resting him on her hip.

Charles furrowed his eyebrows and looked at Giovanna in confusion.

"Charles, this is Arthur" Giovanna said.

"Nice to meet you Arthur" Charles said slowly, but he tried to play it off.

Arthur sent Charles a heartwarming smile.

"How are you Giovanna?" Charles asked, looking at his ex-lover.

"What do you think, Charles?" Giovanna said.

Charles was speechless.

"That's what I thought" Giovanna muttered.

"I have to go" Giovanna said.

"Can we at least meet up one day?" Charles piped up, "You know, just for a drink or something. I feel like I owe you an apology"

"I think you owe me more than a fucking apology, Charles" Giovanna spat.

Charles nodded.

"I'll be in contact" Giovanna said before walking through the streets of Chinatown.

Charles sighed and pulled out his phone before making a call.

"Daniel, you'll never guess who I just ran into" Charles said and ran his hand through his hair.

⚡︎

Giovanna turned on the television and set Arthur in front of it before walking into her bedroom. She shook off her coat and threw it on the bed. The Italian ran her fingers through her hair and fell to the floor sobbing. Why did he think he could just walk back into her life, like he walked out of it? After a while, Giovanna realised he wasn't worth it. She would go and meet him but she wouldn't tell him that he had a child. Not then anyway. She got herself together and joined Arthur in the living room.

"Are you okay, mamma?" Arthur turned to look at her when she sat down next to him.

"I'm fine, baby" Giovanna replied, "Are you hungry?"

Arthur nodded his head.

Giovanna went into the kitchen and began making him some food. As she started, one tear rolled down her cheek and landed on the kitchen counter. She quickly swiped it away before pulling her phone out and calling Minttu.

"Artie, stay there. I need to make a phone call" Giovanna told her son who nodded his head in response.

Giovanna took herself into her bedroom and closed the door. Minttu picked up almost straight away.

"Gianna, how are you?" Minttu's voice came through the iPhone speaker.

"Well, I've just seen Charles in Chinatown and he said he wanted to meet up while he was here but I don't know what to do" Giovanna said in one breath.

"Woah, slow down" Minttu said, "Did you just say that you saw Charles?"

Giovanna hummed in response.

"Shit, what else did he say?" Minttu asked.

"Well Artie was there and obviously he'd seen Charles on the TV. Artie was like 'Mamma look it's Charles Leclerc' and Charles looked at me with wide eyes. I think he gathered that Arthur was my son but I don't think he realised he was the father. Oh god, I bet he thinks I'm such a slut" Giovanna ranted, "I introduced Charles to him and Charles said that he thought he owed me an apology"

"He actually said that?" Minttu was shocked.

"Yep" Giovanna sighed.

"Wow. Are you going to meet up?" Minttu asked.

"I will but I'm not going to tell him about Arthur" Giovanna said.

"He should know he has a child though" Minttu said.

"I know but then I'll feel bad for keeping it from him for so long" Giovanna added.

"You're going to have to tell him one day" Minttu said softly.

⚡︎

"Charles just called me" Daniel said through the phone.

"He did?" Giovanna replied.

"Yep. He said he ran into you in Chinatown" Daniel added.

"Shit"

"How did it go?" Daniel asked.

Giovanna told Daniel the whole story, "So not great".

"Did he say anything about Arthur?" Daniel questioned.

"No, he just thought I was a slut instead" Giovanna rolled her eyes and took a sip from the gin and tonic she had made herself not too long ago.

"No he doesn't" Daniel replied quickly.

"You don't know that Dan" Giovanna said softly.

"Of course I do" Daniel said, "I'm Danny Ricc, I know everything"

"Sure" Giovanna said sarcastically.

"I'm going to have to go now, they want me for interviews" Daniel wrapped up the phone call.

"Of course" Giovanna laughed, "Congratulations on your first win since 2018"

"Thank you doll, I'll see you and Artie soon" Daniel said.

"Thank you for everything Dan, I mean it" Giovanna said.

"It's no problem at all"

Champagne Supernova played from the record player in the corner of living room while Giovanna drifted off to sleep on the sofa. Her mind was racing but the gin and tonic drowned it out.

"Someday you will find me
Caught beneath the landslide
In a champagne supernova
A champagne supernova in the sky

Wake up the dawn and ask her why
A dreamer dreams, she never dies
Wipe that tear away now from your eye"

⚡︎